[Seasider]

Following an agreement with the copyright holder and owner of the film footage I've provided links to Cine film footage of a number of English and Scottish Football grounds taken during the 1979/1981 seasons. The Cine film was shot in Super 8 format in colour and have been converted into windows media format for easy download at a resolution of 600x480. The clips last approximately 90 seconds and the quality is variable.

The footage captures the scene in and around grounds revealing the stands and terraces and they are a unique snapshot of crucially how the grounds appeared at the time before some of which disappeared forever or had yet to be redeveloped. Clubs not featured were either never filmed or they refused permsission to film at their ground.

They can be viewed following the links below and the screen size of the clip can be changed using the controls on the bottom right hand side of the google viewer. In providing these clips all I ask is that you respect the copyright holder and do not edit or redistribute any of the footage but links back to this post are fine.

My thanks to Duncan and the Internet Football Ground Guide for their support.

Please feel free to leave any comments about individual grounds I hope you will enjoy viewing them.

English/Welsh Grounds 1979-1981.

(1) Plainmoor, Torquay United added 27/3/07 Plainmoor, Torquay United
(2) St James Park, Exeter City added 28/3/07 St James Park, Exeter City
(3) Dean Court, A.F.C. Bournemouth added 29/3/07 Dean Court, AFC Bournemouth
(4) Home Park, Plymouth Argyle added 30/3/07 Home Park, Plymouth Argyle
(5) Fratton Park, Portsmouth added 31/3/07 Fratton Park, Portsmouth
(6) Eastville Stadium, Bristol Rovers added 1/4/07 Eastville Stadium, Bristol Rovers
(7) Ashton Gate, Bristol City added 1/4/07 Ashton Gate, Bristol City
(8) Plough Lane, A.F.C. Wimbledon added 2/4/07 Plough Lane, A.F.C. Wimbledon
(9) Craven Cottage, Fulham added 3/4/07 Craven Cottage, Fulham
(10) Stamford Bridge, Chelsea added 4/4/07 Stamford Bridge, Chelsea
(11) Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers added 5/4/07 Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers
(12) Highbury, Arsenal added 6/4/07 Highbury, Arsenal
(13) The Den, Millwall added 7/4/07 The Den, Millwall
(14) The Valley, Charlton Athletic added 8/4/07 The Valley, Charlton Athletic
(15) Upton Park, West Ham United added 9/4/07 Upton Park, West Ham United
(16) Brisbane Road, Leyton Orient added 10/4/07 Brisbane Road, Leyton Orient
(17) White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur added 11/4/07 White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur
(18) Somerton Park, Newport County A.F.C. added 12/4/07 Somerton Park, Newport County AFC
(19) Edgar Street, Hereford United added 13/4/07 Edgar Street, Hereford United
(20) Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury Town added 14/4/07 Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury Town
(21) St Andrews, Birmingham City added 15/4/07 St Andrews, Birmingham City
(22) Villa Park, Aston Villa added 16/4/07 Villa Park, Aston Villa
(23) The Hawthorns, West Bromwich Albion added 17/4/07 The Hawthorns, West Bromwich Albion
(24) Fellows Park, Walsall added 18/4/07 Fellows Park, Walsall
(25) Victoria Ground, Stoke City added 19/4/07 Victoria Ground, Stoke City
(26) Vale Park, Port Vale added 20/4/2007 Vale Park, Port Vale
(27) Gresty Road, Crewe Alexandra added 21/4/07 Gresty Road, Crewe Alexandra
(28) Racecourse Ground, Wrexham added 22/4/07 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
(29) Sealand Road, Chester City added 23/4/07 Sealand Road, Chester City
(30) Edgeley Park, Stockport County added 24/4/07 Edgeley Park, Stockport County
(31) Maine Road, Manchester City added 25/4/07 Maine Road, Manchester City
(32) Old Trafford, Manchester United added 26/4/07 Old Trafford, Manchester United
(33) Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic added 27/4/07 Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic
(34) Spotland Stadium, Rochdale A.F.C. added 28/4/07 Spotland Stadium, Rochdale AFC
(35) Gigg Lane, Bury added 29/4/07 Gigg Lane, Bury
(36) Burnden Park, Bolton Wanderers added 30/4/07 Burnden Park, Bolton Wanderers
(37) Springfield Park, Wigan Athletic added 1/5/07 Springfield Park, Wigan Athletic
(38) Anfield, Liverpool added 2/5/07 Anfield, Liverpool
(39) Goodison Park, Everton added 3/5/07 Goodison Park, Everton
(40) Haig Avenue, Southport added 4/5/07 Haig Avenue, Southport
(41) Turf Moor, Burnley added 5/5/07 Turf Moor, Burnley
(42) Ewood Park, Blackburn Rovers added 6/5/07 Ewood Park, Blackburn Rovers
(43) Deepdale, Preston North End added 7/5/07 Deepdale, Preston North End
(44) Bloomfield Road, Blackpool added 8/5/07 Bloomfield Road, Blackpool

Scottish Grounds 1980-81

(1) Links Park, Montrose added 10/8/07 Links Park, Montrose
(2) Glebe Park, Brechin City added 11/8/07 Glebe Park, Brechin City
(3) Station Park, Forfar Athletic added 12/8/07 Station Park, Forfar Athletic
(4) Gayfield Park, Arbroath added 13/8/07 Gayfield Park, Arbroath
(5) Muirton Park, St. Johnstone added 14/8/07 Muirton Park, St. Johnstone
(6) Dens Park, Dundee added 15/8/07 Dens Park, Dundee
(7) Tannadice Park, Dundee Utd added 16/8/07 Tannadice Park, Dundee Utd
(8) Bayview Park, East Fife added 29/1/08 Bayview Park, East Fife
(9) Stark's Park, Raith Rovers added 30/1/08 Stark's Park, Raith Rovers
(10) Central Park, Cowdenbeath added 30/1/08 Central Park, Cowdenbeath
(11) Annfield Stadium, Stirling Albion added 30/1/08 Annfield Stadium, Stirling Albion
(12) Recreation Park, Alloa Athletic added 30/1/08 Recreation Park, Alloa Athletic
(13) Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir added 31/1/08 Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir
(14) Brockville Park, Falkirk added 31/1/08 Brockville Park, Falkirk
(15) Firs Park, East Stirlingshire added 1/2/08 Firs Park, East Stirlingshire
(16) East End Park, Dunfermline Athletic added 1/2/08 East End Park, Dunfermline Athletic
(17) Tynecastle Stadium, Heart of Midlothian added 1/2/08 Tynecastle Stadium, Heart of Midlothian
(18) Easter Road, Hibernian added 2/2/08 Easter Road, Hibernian
(19) Meadowbank, Meadowbank Thistle 2/2/08 Meadowbank, Meadowbank Thistle
(20) Shielfield Park, Berwick Rangers added 2/2/08 Shielfield Park, Berwick Rangers
(21) Cappielow Park, Morton added 3/2/08 Cappielow Park, Morton
(22) Boghead Park, Dumbarton 3/2/08 Boghead Park, Dumbarton
(23) Kilbowie Park, Clydebank added 3/2/08 Kilbowie Park, Clydebank
(24) St.Mirren Park, St.Mirren added 4/2/08 St.Mirren Park, St.Mirren
(25) Firhill Stadium, Partick Thistle 4/2/08 Firhill Stadium, Partick Thistle
(26) Ibrox Stadium, Rangers added 4/2/08 Ibrox Stadium, Rangers
(27) Hampden Park, Queen's Park added 5/2/08 Hampden Park, Queen's Park
(28) Shawfield Stadium, Clyde added 5/2/08 Shawfield Stadium, Clyde
(29) Celtic Park, Celtic added 5/2/08 Celtic Park, Celtic
(30) Cliftonhill Stadium, Albion Rovers added 6/2/08 Cliftonhill Stadium, Albion Rovers
(31) Broomfield Park, Adrieonians added 6/2/08 Broomfield Park, Adrieonians
(32) Fir Park, Motherwell added 6/2/08 Fir Park, Motherwell
(33) Somerset Park, Ayr United added 7/2/08 Somerset Park, Ayr United
(34) Rugby Park, Kilmarnock added 7/2/08 Rugby Park, Kilmarnock
(35) Douglas Park, Hamilton Academical added 7/2/08 Douglas Park, Hamilton Academical
(36) Palmerston Park, Queen of the South added 7/2/08 Palmerston Park, Queen of the South


This now completes the collection - these clips have been viewed as of today by 85700 people with Upton Park being the most watched at 4560 and Loftus Road next on 4071 obviously a number of these grounds have just recently been added so will not figure. Please feel free to continue to add any comments.

Thanks

[brianhtfc]

Following an agreement with the copyright holder I'm able to provide the forum with links to Cine film footage of a number of English and Scottish Football grounds taken in 1980. The cine film was shot in Super 8 format in colour and have been encoded into windows media format at a resolution of 600x480 the clips only last approximately 90 seconds and the quality is variable.

The unique footage represents fascinating panaoramic snapshots of how the grounds appeared at the time many of which had yet to redeveloped or have any major structural work carried out.

They can be viewed following the link below and the size of the clip can be changed using the controls on the bottom right hand side of the google viewer.

In providing these clips hopefully you will enjoy watching them and all I ask is that you respect the copyright holder and do not download, edit, redistribute or store the footage on your PC.

I intend to post a link for each ground featured if you have any comments about individual grounds please feel free to post.

The first ground featured is Plainmoor home of Torquay United.

Plainmoor, Torquay United 1980

wow - wonderful. I have been to Plainmoor twice, firstly with Hillingdon in 1976 and then with Harrogate in Nov 1995 and was amazed at how much the ground had changed. This film shows it exactly how it was first visit and has joggged the memory as to what a basic ground it used to be. Love those sleeper terraces although I didnt at the time (slippery).

Thanks for your efforts - already looking forward to the next one

[chrisredditch]

Great Stuff...Looking forward to seeing some more.

[Waterloo-Roader]

Excellent footage, like the fact that there is no voice over as it lets pictures do the talking.

Particularly like the views of the Exeter Cowshed (The terrace on top of the grassy slope) now that is character!

[bbcgull]

yes Mike Bateson has to be given 'some' credit.. he has transformed the Plainmoor ground in the last 15 years from a disgrace to a pretty good small ground...

shame they cant get rid of the main granstand tho...

[hnv]

will white hart lane be featured here aswell

thank's amazing clips those were the times

[DocDock]

Don't suppose the person who filmed these did Blundell Park (Grimsby) as well?

I would also like to know what the music that's used is called?

[Seasider]

Not every club is included in fact the clips feature 44 Football League clubs and 36 Scottish League clubs which were present in the leagues as at 1979/80.

The music has no name and is used more as a timecode to ensure the clips are the same length and it’s taken from the movie American Beauty.

The Football League clubs are being posted on a regional basis, the South and South-West were first but not all regions are covered.

I chose not to reveal the full list of clubs covered at the outset - I felt with such a rare one off body of work it deserved unveiling one club at a time.

Regrettably a number of you will be disappointed indeed apart from not being featured a few of the grounds filmed are very poor footage but equally I think many will also be delighted to see how their grounds looked over 25 years ago.

Glad to hear you've enjoyed what has been uploaded to date.

[Joostvoncken]

Great clips and thanks for sharing them with us.

[ben_afcb]

That is exactly how I remember our old ground. I loved that ground.

Thanks for the memories..

[hnv]

LOL look at fulham they didnt have alot of fans backthen aswell

[JTsBlueArmy]

Stamford Bridge video, brillant!

great close up of the shed, and also shows how the east stand was ahead of its time

[Harris]

Brilliant pieces of footage. I hope Roots Hall will feature as 79/80 was only my second season of watching Southend.

[stokey33]

Brilliant footage.

Couple of questions:

Have you got videos for all the league clubs and if so are you working your way north?

[hnv]

is it me or is he uploading in an wierd order
he started from south west corner of england moved on the shouth coast and gone into to london......


now jsut upload WHL please

[Matt_]

Seasider, thanks so much for those clips, they are quite beautiful and a lovely reminder of great days past.

With it being our last season at Gay Meadow I very much hope a clip of our ground will appear, particularly as that was during my club's greatest era.

[Seasider]

William Gibson used to regularly film at a number of clubs long before video was introduced as a cheaper option and club videos became the norm in the late 80's. In doing so he was extremely limited in the length of time he had to film because it was bought in cartridges of around 4 minutes duration and was very expensive.

Then as a supporter himself travelling to watch games he had the idea of asking clubs for their permission to use his camera at individual stadiums and record them onto film. Most were more than happy with the idea although some were not which is why they will not be featured as well as the fact he did not get around to filming in certain regions.

It was for his own personal use but over the years the value of this 50 feet of film was becoming obvious.

My involvement is that arising from a popular football website I maintained for over a decade the lack of any compilation video of our archive footage led me to send out a plea to fans for tapes and subsequently we created a private DVD which I noted is mentioned on of all things Wikipedia Seasiders DVD and we are working on another which we hope the club will sell in the shop although we do have copyright issues with some of the footage.

William contacted me to offer some valuable unseen film of Blackpool in the 1980's when Alan Ball returned to the club and played for us albeit in a disastrous season which saw us relegated to the old 4th Division. In our conversation he mentioned the English and Scottish stadium footage and after viewing it I sent a clip to Duncan and saw an opportunity maybe to try and bring the clips to a wider audience without commercial gain and as William had all the consents in the first place he agreed this would be an excellent opportunity to highlight them.

We really do owe him a lot for taking the time and huge expense in putting this together many clubs have their ground history recorded on TV from game coverage at that time but many don't and he had the wonderful vision of setting out to record football stadiums at a time before many changed forever.

[stokey33]

Revenge of the Nerds

knowing all that mmmmmm never a truer word said.

[Homer]

Wow - fantastic footage. As a Spurs fan I even found Highbury and Stamford Bridge compelling.Thanks for sharing Seasider.

Not so sure about the use of that weird, ghostly backing music though. Makes the grounds feel 2,800 years old not 28! Also puts me in mind of documentaries about places like Belson

Hoping like hnv that WHL is among the archives.

[hnv]

can i post link to a movie on another board?

[Seasider]

I don't have any problem with external linking and I appreciate the clips are in the public domain albeit in limited form.

As people will not therefore be visiting this forum our request for them to view clips and not download etc should at least be mentioned which was part of the original agreement with board members to releasing the footage at the outset.

Hope you found it worth waiting for it was our last section of film from London

[chrisredditch]

Best ground so far (after 20)??

White Hart Lane for me by a mile. The Shelf, Gigantic press box and the Gable.....The stuff of dreams!

[Matt_]

Seasider, thanks for the wonderful footage of Gay Meadow.

[chrisredditch]

The Hawthorns film is not from 1979.
The Halfords Lane Stand was not completed until 1981.

[hnv]

ahh seeing the old lane
theold west stand the old paxton with its amazing atmosphere and shitty upper tier
the old old park lane and ofc the massive shelfside

in this ground no changes what so ever 75k people once got in

[Seasider]

The Hawthorns film is not from 1979.
The Halfords Lane Stand was not completed until 1981.

I contacted William about this and the date of the Shrewsbury players which appear and the end of their ground footage which caused some confusion on a Shrewsbury forum - Will responded and said about the Shrewsbury footage:

"It was indeed 2 clips, 1979 ground and 82-83 pre season teams coming out v Tranmere.

Reason - I only put the 82-83 bit there as there was nowhere else to archive it at the time - hence when I transferred to video in early 90's and now to DVD, it stayed there ! Sorry to cause confusion."

With respect to the West Brom ground film he said:

"Nice to see there are some very observant fans around, who know there ground in 1979 from 1981. ( I know West Brom also had a lot of work in mid 94, I have on video from a reserve match.)

Grounds Footage:

North West 20 - 1979-80 thought to be - as its then, having got the cine camera, I did a grounds spree and then started doing matches when I got the nerve to ask clubs permission!

Midlands - The '5 Brum Collection' could be up to Spring 81 but I felt no later - as our daughter was born in Sept 81, whilst living on the Wirral, after which 'jollies' to take such film were seriously curtailed.

London - Taken over in a dull few days in Feb 80 with a London Bus pass I recall.

South West - could be 1980-81

Scotland - All 36 were definitely shot over 1 week late Oct 80 as QOS bit is match v Queens Park (both went up in 81).

So to avoid any further confusion the dates are wider i.e 1979-81 as an overall date range."

Hope that helps I'm just the bloke that has to create and edit these clips each day since I promised to bring them to you so forgive me if I don't know the exact ground details myself.

[tommo100]

brings back memories from my childhood,seeing massive banks of terracing,the holte end and the massive kop at sheff wed,surely we did`nt need to dump terraces,one tragic accident in a hundred years???

[footloose]

brings back memories from my childhood,seeing massive banks of terracing,the holte end and the massive kop at sheff wed,surely we did`nt need to dump terraces,one tragic accident in a hundred years???

More than one accident, not forgetting Ibrox, Hillsborough and even Heysel. Not all accidents of course.

[tommo100]

remember when a visit from chelsea had you reaching for clean underpants???!!!!